Freshfields changes holiday year

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has changed its holiday year as part of its efforts to ensure it has the highest numbers of employees working during its busiest periods.

The law firm has changed the holiday year from July 1 to June 31 to February 1 to January 31 the following year, which is designed to discourage employees from taking most of their holiday during the summer when work levels are at their highest.

In order to complement the change, the firm will offer an additional enrolment window for its flexible benefits scheme at the beginning of each year. This will allow employees to purchase holiday, enter into the bikes-for-work scheme and select to go on a sabbatical outside the main enrolment window in June.

Adam Brooke, employee benefits manager at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, said: “By changing the holiday year, we ensure during our busiest periods, which are in the summer months for billable hours, we have got the highest amount of staff in and people are not going to squeeze holiday in at the last minute.”